Hackers access IAEA data and slam Israeli nuclear program

The UN’s nuclear watchdog acknowledged on Tuesday that hackers had accessed a server in Vienna, and have accessed the contact details of more than 160 senior experts, including Japanese university researchers, which were later posted online with a message demanding that the IAEA inspect a nuclear facility in Israel.

The group of hackers known as, “Parastoo,” Farsi for the swallow bird and a common Iranian girl’s name, claimed responsibility for hacking the agency’s computers and posting the information on its website. The hackers rebuked Israel for its “nuclear arsenal,” and urged the experts whose names they published to sign a petition demanding an “open investigation” into Israel’s nuclear program.

The hackers are believed to be trying to put pressure on the IAEA to look into Israel’s nuclear activities by disclosing data on experts who can influence the agency.

IAEA spokesperson Gill Tudor said, “The IAEA deeply regrets this publication of information stolen from an old server that was shut down some time ago. In fact, measures had already been taken to address concern over possible vulnerability in this server.” She added that the IAEA’s technical and security teams “are continuing to analyze the situation and do everything possible to help ensure that no further information is vulnerable.”

The email addresses of the exposed scientists were likely stored on the server because they attended IAEA events, and even include the information from one employee of the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science.